Apparatus for separating whites and yolks of eggs



Nov. 15, 1949 G. L. LANE ETALV APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING WHITES AND YOLKS 0F EGGS Filed March .3 1947 INVENTORS GEORGE L, LANE M4169) M L/CHTE/VFELD.

JOHN 5. A05 T/A/ Patented Nov. 15, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR SEPARA'EING WHITES AND YOLKS OF EGGS George L. Lane, Glendale, Harry M. Lichtenfeld, Los Angeles, and John B. Austin, Glendale,

Calif.

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for separating the whites from the yolks of eggs. More particularly the invention pertains to an improved separator designed to accommodate itself to a variety of conditions encountered where large numbers of eggs are to be separated.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a longitudinally slotted chute for separating the whites from the yolks with means for varying the width of the slot.

Another object is to provid means for varying the angle of the chute.

A further object is to provide a roughened surface on the chute to permit the yolks to roll ratherthan slide down the chute.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for discarding yolks which have been accidentally broken on the chute.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; v

and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section of a tiltable cup for receiving the contents of the eggs when the shells have been broken;

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that a slotted inclined chute Ill is supported by a U-shaped bracket l l secured to the chute and to a depending leg I 2, the latter being pivotally supported on post I 3 which is adjustably held in base M. Screws I 5 hold the post at the height to which it is adjusted. It will be noted that leg [2 has a segmental portion [6 having an arcuate slot l1 therein cooperating with an angle indicating pin and guide IS on the post. Adjusting screw 19 cooperates with the leg and with a rotatable nut M on the post to permit the angular relation of the chute to be varied. Also secured to the chute are other U-shaped brackets 22, 22' supporting an inclined trough 23 beneath the chute.

The slotted chute I 0 consists of two plates 24, 24', each supported by spaced braces 25, 25'. Plate 24' is permanently fixed to its braces and is not movable, but plate 24 is slidable transversely on its braces. Secured to the lower side of plate 24 are depending ears 26 passing through openings or gaps 21 in the flanges of braces 25, these ears being provided with threaded openings to receive adjusting screws 28, 28' seated in the brackets 22, 22'. Since two screws are employed,

2 one at each end of the chute, the distance between plates 24, 24' may be varied to provide a slot the sides of which may be brought into parallel relation or arranged at a slight angle to each other.

The upper surface of each of plates 24, 24' is roughened either by cutting shallow serrations transversely thereof or ang-ularly to the slot formed by the plates. The purpose of these roughened surfaces is to cause the yolk of the egg to roll rather than slide down the chute. Better separation is thereby obtained. It is also to be observed that the chute plates are inclined downwardly toward the center of the chute better to permit the whites of the eggs to flow through the slot into trough 23. A discharge spout 29 is secured to brace 22' at the discharge end of the device, the separated yolks being guided thereby into a suitable receptacle.

As stated hereinbefore, trough 23 is supported by brackets II, 22, 22' beneath the chute. The trough is not immovably fixed to the brackets but is longitudinally slidable thereon. Bracket 22 is provided on each side with a slot 3 I, the length of these slots being less than the width of the bracket so that the closed ends of the slots act as stops for arms 32 secured to the trough and extending through slots 31. A bar 33 depending from the arms is attached to spring 34, the other end of which is attached to bracket 22. Thus it will be seen that the trough is normally urged to the left in Fig. 1, being limited by engagement of arms 32 with the closed ends of slots 3|. In the position shown in Fig. 1, the discharge end of the trough extends beyond a supplemental chute 34, the latter being supported on bracket 35. Yoke 36 having inturned flanges 31 is secured to chute 34 and prevents removal thereof from bracket 35 but permits the chute to tilt, the yoke being secured to the chute nearer one end thereof than to its other end so that the chute is unbalanced.

In the event a broken yolk or a bad egg drops through the slotted chute into the trough, the

. operator presses his finger or thumb against 7 either of the arms 32 and moves the trough toward the right, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, whereupon the trough clears chute 34. This unbalanced chute then tilts so that its upper end rise above the floor of the trough and guides the egg which is to be discarded into the supplemental chute, the latter emptying into a suitable receptacle. It is to be understood that normally the discharge end of the trough also empties into a separate receptacle for the yolks.

Positioned over the front end of the apparatus is an egg breaker and tiltable cup into which the eggs are dropped before the whites and yolks are separated. The breaker consists of a blade 36 secured at its ends to short bars 31, the latter being removably supported by uprights 38 having lugs 39 thereon. The bars and lugs are each threaded to receive screws 4! which permit attachment and removal of the blade for cleaning or replacement. Uprights 38 are each provided with slots 42 to provide for vertical adjustment thereof, screws 43 engaging bracket 22 being turned to free or hold the uprights.

Cup 44 is tiltably and removably supported on cross bar 45 bridging bracket 22. The cup has secured to its under side a bent tongue of spring metal adapted to be forced from or onto the cross bar. If the operator finds on inspection that an egg broken on the blade is satisfactory for separation, he tilts the cup sufiiciently to permit the egg to fall onto the slotted chute. If he wishes to discard an egg, he may lift the cup from its support and disposed of it. Likewise, the cup is easily removable for cleaning.

While a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that such changcs as fall within the terms of the claims may be made without departing from the invention as claimed.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device for separating the whites from the yolks of eggs, a chute comprising a pair of plates in spaced relation to provide a slot therebetween, said plates being inclined downwardly and converging toward said slot and also inclined downwardly toward the discharge end of the chute, and a trough supported beneath said chute, a major portion of the upper surface of each of said plates having closely spaced shallow grooves extending transversely thereof to form a roughened upper face on each of said plates.

2. In a device for separating the whites from the yolks of eggs, a pair of spaced inclined plates forming a slotted chute, brackets supporting said chute, an inclined trough supported on said brackets beneath said chute and longitudinally slidable on said brackets, a supplemental chute tiltably supported on one of said brackets adjacent the discharge end of said trough, biasing means normally holding said trough with its discharge end beyond said supplemental chute, and manually operated means on said trough moving said trough longitudinally to position said discharge end over said supplemental chute to permit the trough to discharge into said supple mental chute.

GEORGE L. LANE. HARRY M. LICH'IENFELD. JOHN B. AUSTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 896,493 Walz et al. Aug. 18, 1908 1,533,377 Bruffee Apr. 14, 1925 1,622,181 Conner Mar. 22, 1927 1,646,682 Christian et al Oct. 25, 1927 1,846,754 Regensburger et al. Feb. 23, 1932 1,896,498 Taniguchi Feb. '7, 1933 1,934,915 De Vout et a1 Nov. 14, 1933 

